1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the processing of leafy vegetables and more particularly to a method for the processing of leafy vegetables to produce an extended storage life.
2. Description of the Background Art
The expanded food service industry and consumer demand for prepared food product has had a significant impact on the fresh fruit and vegetable trade. For example, the prepared lettuce business for chopped, shredded and cored product now exceeds one billion pounds of pre-cut lettuce per year. Exacerbating the problem of meeting this huge demand for leafy vegetables is the fact that significant production yield decays or spoils before reaching the dinner table of the consumer. Part of this spoilage results from distribution difficulties which result from loading, transport and storage. Even routine shipping can cause extensive spoilage and economic loss with these short shelf-life products.
Spoilage of leafy vegetables occurs as a result of a variety of processes including microbiological decay, handling damage, and loss of cellular integrity with a consequential dissipation of cellular fluids. What is needed is a method of processing and treating leafy vegetables to mitigate spoilage.